1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a fireplace insert for the burning of containerized fuel. More particularly, this invention relates to a burner unit suitable for use in fireplaces which do not require the venting of combustion products through a chimney.
2. Prior Art
A fireplace was once considered to be a necessity in every home for practical purposes of heating and cooking. In more recent times, however, such units have been considered more of a luxury and may often be used more for decorative than functional purposes. While sitting before a warm blazing fire on a winter night is a pleasure, it is often reserved to the more affluent due to the expense associated with having a fireplace. For example, a chimney or other appropriate ventilation means is required. Also the fireplace must be constructed with proper brickwork and other masonry to assure that a fire in the fireplace will be contained. Fireplaces are often inefficient in that much of the heat from a fire escapes up the chimney. Also, if the damper is left open cold air comes down the chimney and cools the room. If the damper is closed when a fire is lighted, or if the chimney doesn't draw sufficiently, smoke and other products of combustion enter the room and are a health hazard as well as causing immediate discomfort and irritation.
An alternative to a conventional fireplace is a ventless fireplace which burns a fuel such as ethanol that is completely combustible into carbon dioxide and water thereby leaving no dangerous by-products, smoke or residue. Because such units are ventless, they can be made portable and moved from room to room as the need requires. Or, in the alternative, they can be built into a wall, closet and the like and surrounded with a facade such as a mantle or console and have the appearance of a conventional fireplace. In such installations, the burner unit is generally contained in a fire box.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,573,905 discloses a burner unit for burning of containerized alcohol based fuels and provides a listing of prior art both in terms of references cited and those referred to in the background portion. However, one of the problems associated with prior art units is that the containerized alcohol is often difficult to ignite because the fuel cans are placed in a fuel cell located between simulated logs and may not be easily accessible. Cans of gelled fuel often come in different sizes and most prior art units are adapted to accommodate only one size of container. Also if a burner unit contains a lid to cover the gelled fuel to put it out, the unit must be located sufficiently away from the back wall of a fire box to allow the lid to move backwards in a horizontal plane to uncover the container for lighting. This requires space which is otherwise unnecessary.